A hush fell over the white field.
The wind stilled. The earth quieted. And then—
A small light appeared.Not harsh or cruel. Not like the house.It was gentle. Warm. Pure.
It hovered above them—soft as a breath—and Vale lifted his chin, his cheeks stained with tears.
His voice trembled. "Please..."
The light pulsed, as if responding to his grief.
And then—it spoke.
A voice, neither male nor female. Not human, not spirit.Just truth.
"The curse was greed.A house built to consume.It lured men with wealth, and chained them with hunger.But it needed one thing to survive—A guardian. A soul beautiful enough to keep, and lonely enough to stay."
Vale listened, chest rising and falling in jagged pain.
"Seraph was its longest prisoner.Her beauty fed the illusion. Her despair bound the walls.And her love...Her love broke it."
The light dimmed slightly, its glow softer now.
"You did not kill her.You did not take the gold.You were offered power, and chose love.For this, you are free.You will live, Vale.You will thrive.You are no longer cursed."
But Vale's eyes widened. He clutched Seraph tighter.
"No," he said hoarsely. "Take everything back.Give me the chains. Give me the house. I don't want anything—I want her. Only her. Please…"
The light flickered.
But it didn't answer.
And then—Seraph moved.
But not in breath, not in life.
Her skin turned soft with glowing firelight. Her edges blurred.
"No," Vale cried. "No, please—"
Her body began to dissolve. Slowly. Silently. Her form breaking into embers, into warmth, into dust and fire. The wind caught it—the wind that had once carried the voices of the cursed—and now carried her.
He tried to hold on, to keep her in his arms.
But his hands met air.
"Seraph…" he gasped. His voice broke. "No—"
And then she was gone.
Nothing left but ash in his hands and the memory of a girl who painted with blood and loved like it would kill her.
Vale fell to the ground, screaming into the white flowers.
He cried until no sound came.
He cried until the sun rose.
He cried until his chest ached and his heart could no longer understand why it still beat.